


a sense of scale

by Amber_Flicker



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Banter, Enemies to Friends, Enstars Shipping Olympics, Introspection, Keito overworking as per usual, Light Angst, M/M, Pre-Slash, Unresolved Emotional Tension, set during Diner Live
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-02 06:44:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19436053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amber_Flicker/pseuds/Amber_Flicker
Summary: Wataru, Keito, and discussions in the student council room.-ESO 2019 - Main Round - Prompt: Quote (Team Watakei)"I turned my back on the story. A sense of superiority. Everything casts a shadow."-Richard Siken, Detail of the Woods





	a sense of scale

He's unsurprised to find Wataru in the student council room, and he's sure Wataru is just as unsurprised to see him returning to it. There's no other reason he'd be there except to be waiting for Keito- the rest of the council has long since went home.

"Did my rehearsal not tire you out enough, right hand man? I can always make it more difficult next time!"

It's not one of Wataru's strongest quips. Keito would have had to return here after the rehearsal regardless of how tired he was. He had taken time out of his schedule when he accepted Wataru's proposal to join Traumerei, time that he hadn't had to give in the first place. Between school, Akatsuki related matters, and student council work, he didn't have the time to spare to another unit, temporary or no. And still, he had joined. It's not as if he and Wataru were close, he shouldn't have had reason to. Keito still doesn't know what had possessed him to make that decision. A sense of duty to make sure Eichi wasn't overworking himself? A desire to make a reckless decision for once? He looks at Wataru and thinks, _or something else?_

"I'm sacrificing work hours to even go to the rehearsals, Hibiki. It has to get done sometime," he doesn't really have to say this, because they both know it. But this is how their interactions go. It's... different, usually, when they have an audience. Both of them have images to keep up- not that their arguments are all for show, they do have a real basis. But there's less of it when they're alone. Or that's how it seems; it's hard to tell with Wataru. It could just be a different mask. Keito chooses not to see it that way.

Keito wonders if Wataru ever lets down the facade even this much with Eichi. He doesn't ask.

"So much work without breaks will drive one mad, you know," Wataru says, as Keito starts looking over the first paper in the pile he has to finsish before he can go home.

"Is that concern I hear, Hibiki?"

"Maybe so."

His hand stutters just for a moment while he's signing the form. It's almost unnoticeable, but he knows Wataru would've caught it. Whatever else he could say about him, Keito will admit Wataru's observation skills are excellent. (The fact that Wataru had just quoted a meme at him doesn't escape his notice, but it somehow doesn't make the words have less of an effect.)

Wataru doesn't say anything else. He reaches past Keito and takes half the pile of paperwork, pulling one of the other desks' chairs over to sit across from Keito. "You can't just-"

"Of course I can! I learned how to forge your signature months ago, Keito-kun."

"That's not the issu-" He stops himself. Is this perhaps Wataru's way of thanking him for sacrificing his time for his temporary unit? And, well. He knows he shouldn't allow someone else to do his work, especially when they're not part of the student council. But it will make it all take significantly less time if he does allow it, just this once. It's already growing dark outside, and the school is likelly empty besides them. Wataru's a lot smarter than he acts. He probably won't cause any problems, can probably tell what proposals are reasonable or not. He may have to fix issues later for letting this happen, but Keito find he's willing to take the risk. 

A year ago, six months ago, even three months ago, he would've never let this happen. He wonders what changed.

Then again, a lot has changed. This isn't the same school that a war tore through last year, and none of them are the same people, for better or for worse.

This thing between then is built on understanding but never asking. He shouldn't disrupt the balance. But there's only so many more opportunities before they graduate, and maybe that's what makes him do it. Keito sets down his pen. "Why are you here, Hibiki?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," Wataru says, but the tone of his voice says he does.

"Why do you associate with the student council? Why did you join the unit that destroyed you and your friends?"

Wataru is uncharacteristically still and silent for a moment. Keito almost begins to think he's not going to get an answer, that he should never have brought it up. The room is dark enough that it's hard to see anything in Wataru's expression beyond the fake smile when he finally looks up. "Well, why did you go along with it all last year despite feeling guilty the whole time?" He counters. "I chose to turn my back on the heroes-vs-villains story of last year. Sometimes one must cut off ties to survive a war, though I suppose you had the opposite problem."

"It was either loyalty to Eichi or loyalty to everyone else. So yes, if we're using that metaphor, I turned my back on everyone else."

"Well, it seems we were both written into roles we didn't want. So was... everyone else," they both know who he's specifically talking about, and neither wants to mention it, "I got on with my life instead of dwelling on the past. We both know how doing that turns out."

Keito almost asks him whether 'getting on with it' makes him feel superior to those that broke instead. The conversation is bringing out feelings he usually has under better control. He doesn't say that, though. Wataru might hide it well, but there's no way he got through the war unscathed either- the fact that he hides so much is proof of that in itself. "And you thought the best way was joining the enemy?"

"The student council is hardly the enemy anymore, Keito," and his expression is unreadable now, like he's expecting something from Keito, like he's gauging his response. It doesn't escape his notice that Hibiki has dropped the honorifics.

It's a vague response that doesn't answer his question. Wataru's always been good at avoiding things he doesn't want to talk about. This feels like more than avoidance, feels like- Keito isn't sure, or maybe it's actually that he doesn't want to admit that he knows exactly where this could lead, if he chose to take the conversation in that direction.

Something holds him back. Maybe Wataru is being honest about forgetting last year, or maybe it's yet another layer of masks. And Keito himself? He feels as if he's still trying to make up for it all. The shadow of the war is still cast over everything they do, and the history it created will linger long after everyone involved graduates. _'The end justifies the means'_ had been the excuse he'd given himself during it, but it was just that; an excuse. Yumenosaki's flawed systems had been changed at too high a cost, and he'd allowed himself to fall into complacency by helping facilitate that change.

But... that doesn't necessarily mean this can't go anywhere. It doesn't mean they're so far gone that they can't... let whatever relationship they have now become more. Everything that's happened since the start of their third year is proof of that. 

"...I suppose you're right," he finally settles on.

Something lights up in Wataru's eyes at his reply. "Ah! What's this, right hand man admitting I'm right? Wonders never ceas-"

"Shut up and finish your paperwork, Hibiki."

"Technically it's your paperwork!"

Keito sighs, but there's no real frustration behind it. He'd never admit it, but he was getting used to Wataru's antics. They eventually do finish all the paperwork- not without more banter over trivial things- and end up leaving together. Keito isn't used to anyone still being around by the time he leaves- he usually ends up locking up the student council office on his own and leaving in the same manner. It's... nice, to have someone keeping him company, even if they do have to separate at the school gate since their houses are in different directions.

"This is where we part ways for the night, my fated rival!"

Wataru doesn't give him a chance to reply before he starts to leave. Keito reaches out to grab his wrist before he can pull a disappearing act, and- he thinks that's the first time he's ever seen anything close to surprise in Wataru's expression. "...Thank you. For helping with the paperwork, I mean," _And for the conversation_ goes unsaid, but he's sure Wataru gets that too.

"Think nothing of it," he says, voice quieter than usual. 

Keito notices he hasn't let go yet, and pulls his hand back. "Goodnight, Hibiki."

Wataru smiles at him, and it looks genuine, for once. "Goodnight, Keito."

He stands there for a moment as Wataru leaves- walking like a normal person for once instead of his usual dramatics- and thinks about the events of the past couple of hours. It feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders.

They still have a long way to go, but he thinks maybe, just maybe, they could take that journey together.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure how accurately I characterized Wataru in this, he's a lot more difficult to write than Keito is (He's like... the opposite of me, and also very different than the characters I usually write, but hopefully I managed to get him right)
> 
> a-logicalruse on tumblr, amber_flicker on twitter


End file.
